Elyrian Empire
The Elyrian Empire is the most powerful empire in the history of the known world. It is located in the northern part of Laitheran’s supercontinent and boasts both a thriving economy and a strong, well-trained army with talented commanders. It has expanded mostly through the conquest of foreign countries, which were then turned into provinces of the Empire. Each province of the Empire is governed by a Duke. The lord of a great house. As such, the entire province is controlled through the Duke’s house, which enforces the will of the Emperor or Empress on the people. Geographical Information Elyria is a massive northern Empire taking up the entirety of northern Laitheran’s supercontinent. While its total size varied depending on the era, it has stayed north of the Ash Mountains for most of its time. The Empire is divided into 6 major provinces, each province ruled by a Great House. The 6 provinces include: E’olham (Yol-hom): Bordered to the south by Dorahiln’s Spine, this icy province is home to the large pine trees of Frostpine Forest as well as the cold waters of Icespike Bay. The western shore of the province is made up of high rocky cliffs which sparkle and shine with deposits of snow and ice. On the edge of the cliffs, just west of the mountains, lies Crystal Fall Lake where the excess water pours over the cliffs in beautiful sparkling waterfalls. It is here where the main river that flows through Glasthearth starts and makes its way through the mountains. E’olhom’s main river, The River Malathe winds its way through the frozen tundra to the province’s capital Fiestvole. The landscape slopes downward from the cliffs and mountains until it flows into gravelly, rock-strewn beaches. Most of its weather is snow and blizzards except in the summer when it plagued by almost fish drowning amounts of freezing rain. Cities: Fiestvole - Capital of E’olham, bridging The River Malathe and settled into The Siren’s Tongue. Terith’s Keep - City built into the cliffs of Icespike Bay. Heavily fortified and made up of winding bridges and stairs. Verrona - The largest city north of the spine, Verrona is also the oldest city within the Empire. The entire city surrounds the Twilight Bastion, a massive ruined fortress where many theorize the followers of Umbra had built. Natural Features: Frostpine Forest - A coniferous forest that clings to the side of the mountains and flows over the hills onto the tundra. Home to various wolf packs and small villages. Wet Tooth Cove - Nestled between the cliffs and Bracklethorn Island, this body of water is made up of sharp jagged rocks and churning seas caused by the deluge of water falling from the lake above. Icespike Bay (Bad Slave Bay) - A small bay cut into the cliffs. The edges are adorned with frozen spikes making it difficult for ships to enter the bay. Carved into the side of the sheer walls is Territh’s Hold which serves as a safe place and trading port for all manner of pirates. Dorahiln’s Spine - A frozen range of mountains that cut off the entire province of E’olham from the rest of the continent. The waters that flow there are beautiful and clear. However, travel through the mountains is rough and most people sail around or take airships if the absolutely need to cross. Lake Crystal Fall - A cliffside lake that pours onto Wet Tooth Cove. The waterfalls sparkle like diamonds as they fall into the cove. The Siren’s Tongue - A small rectangular inlet on the northwest corner of the peninsula. The expansive of water is covered in sheets of ice that are routinely broken up by large steel bowed ships to ensure the safe flow of trade. The waters are home to a pod of narwhals whose calls used to sound like sirens to the natives. Bracklethorn Island - The largest Island in the Empire, Bracklethorn Island is home to several villages that use the warmer waters off the south-western coast to help bring better fishing to the province. The island is also home to one of the largest naval bases and training facilities in the Empire and is the location of E’olham’s Military Entrance Exam. The River Malathe - The arterial river of E’olham that flows from Crystal Fall Lake to Fiestvole. Its waters are some of the purest and clearest of any river in the country. Glasthearth (Glast-har-th): One of the most diverse provinces in the Elyrian Empire. It is made up of lush floodplains, small deciduous forests, sandy beaches, tall pine forests, rolling hills, and frozen tundra. The province borders E’olham on the northern border and both Elderbrook and Capital Province on the southern edge. The main river that flows through the province is called Silver Flow. It has many tributaries that flow throughout the province and cause fertile flood plains nourished by the nutrients from the mountains. The capital, Galaborn is settled in the bend of the channel and just past it, the river separates off into Runai’s Fjord which flows into Lake Nypherra. Cities: La’driona - One of the most prosperous cities in the nation, La’driona takes up an entire island in the bay at the end of the Silver Flow. The home of the Elyrian Black Market, it’s a thriving city filled with bazaars and markets. Galaborn - The capital city of Glasthearth is nestled into a bend in Silver Flow. It’ bustling streets serve as a hub for trade from all parts of the nation. Natural Features: Allumanth Forest - An expansive pine forest that separates the rolling hills of the northern riverlands from the vast snowy wasteland of the Rumaia Tundra. Its dark and freezing interior is home only to animals and small lumber farming settlements. Silver Flow - Pouring out of the mountains from a massive waterfall, Kailassa Falls, the river flows through the heart of the province. It’s called Silver Flow because of the large deposits of silver that it pulls from the mountains and leaves near the base of the falls. The Glasthearth Floodplains - A broad and exceptionally fertile stretch of land caused from the swelling riverbeds of Silver Flow. Rumaia Tundra - Cold and desolate, the Rumaia Tundra, unlike E’olham, is sparsely populated with frozen earth and gravelly beaches. Its only economic benefits are the massive amount of stone in the ground and the vast frozen lakes for ice harvesting. It also lays claim to the Glasthearth’s Military Entrance Exam Base. Kailassa Falls - Beautiful and shimmering they stream from the mountainside in beautiful floes of ice and silver. Elderbrook (El-der-brook): One of the most prosperous provinces, its river is the most direct route to the capital allowing it to control a vast majority of trade. The river sprouts off into several tributaries that provide substantial water to the settlements and towns in the province. Unlike Glasthearth it’s rivers are cut through hills making them more suited to help with livestock. It borders Glasthearth along Silverflow to the north, Capital Province to the east, Wainsgrove to the south, and Galathir’s Blade to the west. The only province it doesn’t have close border access to is E’olham, but its connection to the others and its central location make it an important source of commerce. The main river of the province flows straight from Nypherra lake and has been converted into a wide canal called The Jelani Canal. Cities: The Three Daughters: Irrelia, Annerith, and Pathlea - Named After the three daughters of Emperor Zyroh the three separate cities have merged over time into one massive expanse of a city that covers the northern shore of Zyroh’s Bay. Irrelia and Annerith are the only of the three daughter cities located in Elderbrook. Pathlea resides in Wainsgrove. All three port cities, bordering the massive Rivari river that leads through the capital province towards the eastern coast. they are crucial to trade routes, perhaps the most important above all others in Elyria due to The Jelani Canal connecting them to the capital Nypherra. Colomdire - Settled midway between two tributaries, the capital of Elderbrook lays on The Jelani Canal and is the primary shipping hub for the province. All barges going to Nypherra or headed to Zyroh’s Bay must stop at the docks there to have their supplies checked for contraband and taxed appropriately. Natural Features: Shadowglenn - A large expanse of forest on the eastern side of Elderbrook. Its trees grow close together and little light makes it through the canopy. Novgorod: A large sprawling monastery tucked away in Shadowglenn in a beautiful streamside meadow. All officers of the Holy Armed Forces are sent to Novgorod for officer training. It is also used as a retraining facility for those who have wandered from the religion. Z’yroh’s Bay - A large bay in southern Elyria named after the Third Emperor, Zyroh. Its entire northern shore is made up of three cities that have merged together and are collectively called The Three Daughters. The Jelani Canal - Originally the River Jelani that was expanded and deepened into a cement-lined canal. It has heavy steam barge traffic as well as several locks and dams that allow access to the other tributaries. Wainsgrove (Wains-grove): The southern tip of Wainsgrove is covered by the tangled mess of mangrove swamps known as Nilanthi’s Tangle. The marshlands spread out from there and they even mix with the southern side of Zyroh’s Bay. A ridge of hills separates the swamps from the northern part of the province. Most of the northern lands consist of rolling hills used for terrace farming. The swamplands are great for rice farming and rice is their chief export. Most of the cities and settlements in the southern riverlands are built on stilts to lift them out of the water. Rail transport, as well as most animal transports, are useless in the muddy bogs. The specific conditions inside the swamplands and tangle make it a breeding bed for rare plants used in medicines and food. The western edges of the province are made up of sandy beaches crisscrossed with rivulets of swamp water pouring into Sea of Harbus. Cities: The Three Daughters: Irrelia, Annerith, and Pathlea - Irrelia, Annerith, and Pathlea - Named After the three daughters of Emperor Zyroh the three separate cities have merged over time into one massive expanse of a city that covers the northern shore of Zyroh’s Bay. Irrelia and Annerith are the only of the three daughter cities located in Elderbrook. Pathlea resides in Wainsgrove. All three port cities though are crucial to trade routes, perhaps the most important above all others in Elyria due to The Jelani Canal connecting them to the capital Nypherra. Silkenbogue - Situated on the edge of Nilanthi’s Tangle, the Capital of Wainsgrove is built upon stilts and is surrounded by rice paddies and deepwater rice farms. The city has no roads to say and is mostly made of channels and bridges to get between structures. Natural Features: Lake Sevcrest - Situated in a basin between the hills, Lake Sevcrest is the largest body of uninterrupted fresh water in the province. Nilanthi’s Tangle - A thick expanse of land consisting of only mangroves and marshes. The roots of the mangrove trees inspired the people of Wainsgrove to name this place Nilanthi’s Tangle. This area floods at least twice a day with the rising tide of the Sea of Harbus. Dog’s Head Rock - On the southern edge of Zyroh’s Bay, Dog’s Head Rock rises out of the swamps and serves as a defense for the bay. Wainsgroves military base is here as well as where their Military Entrance Exam takes place. It is also home to the most famous lighthouse in the country. Galathir’s Blade (Gal-a-theer’s Blade): A long, narrow province, Galathir’s Blade runs along the eastern coast of the continent. Its western border contains the entirety of Fate’s Loom. It’s bordered by the Capital Province to its east. The sandy, dune-strewn beaches of the south slowly transition to rocky shores and eventually short cliffs. River’s flow from the mountains, dividing up the hill covered landscape into areas perfect for terrace farming. Unlike Dorahiln’s Spine, only the very tops of the mountains in Fate’s Loom are covered in snow while their lower slopes are strewn with lush forests and babbling brooks. Some of the canyons and valleys in The Loom have settlements in them where livestock and mining are the primary means of economy. Cities: Seldrin - Placed in the fork of two rivers, the capital city of Galathir’s Blade it’s known for its large wheat field and consequently, The Miller’s District. An entire section of the city is dedicated to the milling of wheat into flour by means of water mills. Natural Features: Horseshoe Island - Home to a small fishing village but mostly used as Galathir’s Blade’s military base and Military Entrance Exam location. Fate’s Loom - A long expanse of mountains extending from the northern shores of the continent to the middle area of Galathir’s Blade. Unlike it’s brother to the west, its slopes are more habitable and are made up of a mix of pine and deciduous forests. Cities cling to the steep slopes and canyons and in some parts, mountaintops have been flattened to make cities. Pinnacle Rock - The largest mountain in the country. It rises up out of Fate’s Loom and is home to the Iron Citadel at the highest attainable point. A massive fortress where the province’s Great House resides. Capital Province: Dominated primarily by Lake Nypherra and its watershed, the Capital Province is named so because it houses the nation’s capital Nypherra. The shores of the lake are home to many suburbs as well as large farms. Most of the land in the area is devoted to farming especially along the Jelani Canal where the water is frequently diverted into fields for irrigation. The northernmost part of the province is covered by icy tundra and pine forest rising from the ridge of a cliff that runs along the northern border of Lake Nypherra. This cliff face has many caves inside it that are used as mines. The eastern hills are divided so that the northern ones are used for animal husbandry and the southern ones are used for terrace farming. Everything that is grown and harvested in the Capital Province is used to feed its citizens and not used for trade or export. Cities: Nypherra - An expansive city that spans two large islands in the middle of Lake Nypherra. Natural Features: Allumanth Forest - A large conifer forest that spread across the southern half of the capital province, ending only at the foothills of the Ash Mountains. Lake Nypherra - The largest lake in the country, with two massive islands at its center upon which the city of Nypherra is built. Runai’s Fjord - The northern section of the province which blends into the imposing mountains of Dorahiln’s Spine. Political Geography The Empire of Elyria is a constitutional Monarchy which serves towards the nation’s current ruler. (Emperor/Empress). The ruler has the most authority within the Empire and answers to nobody. However, each province is governed by a Grand Duke, the Lord of a Great House. The Great Houses are the most powerful of the noble houses of the Elyrian Empire. They exercise immense authority and power over their vassals and territories and are answerable only to the Emperor or Empress of Elyria. Each Great House has a large number of vassal houses serving it, most of whom in turn have smaller vassals under them, extending all the way down to farmers and landed knights. Each Great House rules over its province and is responsible for collecting taxes and, in times of war, raising troops to fight for the Empire. Otherwise, they are largely left to operate autonomously to simplify the bureaucracy and governance of the Empire, provided they adhere to the laws set by the Emperor/Empress. History of the Elyrian Empire The Ruination / 525 AC - 530 AC After the great Conquest between the Seven Seraphs, Laitheran was left in utter chaos. The war-torn world was still heavily wounded from the battle, and as a result, many of the surviving humans were spread far and wide from one another. Because of the creation of the Ash mountains by the Seraph Umbra, the little human population in the frozen north were trapped. It did not take long for this factor to be abused. In the year of 530, a great revenant appeared and began to gather power north of the Ash Mountains. With little people to stop its growing strength, it cocooned itself for many years until it was strong enough to unleash it. Erupting in the ruins of Twilight Bastion, the Revenant unleashed its rage on the region with extraordinary power. Realising that if left unchecked, the evil being could threaten the existence of every living being in the north, the few inhabitants left united to fight back against the evil. This war was known simply as the “Ruination”. A name was given to any revenant outbreak. Though the battle was long and difficult, the united people were eventually able to cut through the revenant’s minions and destroy the heart within the center of the Twilight Bastion. With the Revenant gone, the people began to gain hope again. After seeing what they could do when they united, the populace decided it was time to rebuild the north into a nation. Rebuilding the North / 537 AC Seven years after the defeat of the Revenant, hundreds of thousands of people from across the north migrated to the Twilight Bastion. Pooling their resources and knowledge together to build a city that would later be named Verrona. With the north slowly forming into a powerful country, the people of Verrona elected a leader to represent them. He had been on the front lines during the siege of the Twilight Bastion, and his name was well known throughout the city for his acts of heroism and magical prowess. Renlock Elyria Naravi was crowned as the Imperator of Veronna, and its soon to be built territories. The Northern Expansion and Civil Unrest / 549 AC - 600 AC Under the rule of Renlock, Veronna prospered. The city was now the central hub of trade and commerce north of the Ash Mountains, and hundreds continued to pour in every single year. Because of this, the Imperator knew that a single city would not be able to support all of these people. As such, he ordered the colonization of new lands. The loyal citizens of the city obeyed, and many set out in all directions to start their own settlements. For a long time, these new settlements grew beyond simple villages and became their own prosperous, self-sufficient cities. However, they were not immune to problematic complications... Despite the praise Renlock received from his own people, there were many in the north who still felt that his rule would decay and bring ruin to the region. More specifically in the southern territories. As the different cities grew, they also began to require less and less aid from the capital. Soon enough, many of these cities proclaimed themselves independent of any nation and formed their own countries. Seeing this as an act of betrayal, Renlock was outraged. He ordered the construction of Bastion’s military and began preparing for war… The Unification War / 604 AC - 614 AC After four years of preparation, Renlock was ready to unleash the full force of his loyal army on the traitors in the south. Without much warning, the Twilight Bastion’s gates opened and the war began with several surprise attacks. The first city to surrender to Renlock was Galaborn. The leader of the city who had proclaimed himself a King was publicly executed by Renlock himself as a warning to the other cities who broke off from his control. The war then continued to rage for many more years until only one remained. The 1st battle of Nypherra was possibly the longest and bloodiest in Elyrian history. Surrounded by a massive lake, Renlock’s forces spent many months of constant naval and beach warfare. King Jericho had skillfully built the city’s defenses to match that of the Twilight’s Bastion. However, the city did not stand forever. With the resources and manpower gained from the previous victories in the war, Renlock was able to outlast the defenders of Nypherra. Once the opportunity arose, Renlock’s ships were able to get a direct hit on Nypherra’s main gate using flaming trebuchets. Within days of the breach, the city finally surrendered. The Imperator himself fought on the front lines, unleashing the magic he had mastered over his many years to obliterate the false king. With Jericho’s death, the Unification war had ended. Sitting upon Nypherra’s throne, the Imperator proclaimed that no longer would his people be so divided. They were now united under a single banner. A single Empire. The Great Expanse / 620 AC -700 AC The years following the birth of the now dubbed Elyrian Empire, the united nation began looking to all corners of the north for greater expansion. After the death of Emperor Renlock, his daughter Hala was crowned Empress. Under her rule, she ordered the annexation of all lands north of the Ash Mountains. Of course, by now many people in the north had created their own smaller nations, but they were spread far from one another, and none stood much of a chance against the might of the imposing Empire. Many surrendered to the imperial army that approached their keeps. Those that did not were thrown into a short, but very one-sided battle. After about 80 years of imperial expansion, Elyria had now conquered all lands north of the Ash Mountains. Elyria was now officially the largest nation on the face of Laitheran. The Creation of the Black Wall / 1214 AC - 1430 AC Elyria now prospered for centuries as the world’s largest and most successful civilization. However, they were not entirely secure from outside dangers. The Ash Mountains proved a natural barrier between Elyria and the rest of the world, but those it separated Elyria from were resourceful. The Srigs had found many ways to pass through the black mountains. With the Srigs constant raiding of Elyria’s southern villages and townships, it was decided by Emperor Tyris to set up a more permanent defense against the barbaric southern peoples. Plans for the Black Wall had begun as the Empire’s most talented and resourceful builders and engineers came together to construct the massive barrier. The Black Wall was meant to be a massive wall carved out of the Ash Mountains. The construct spanned the entirety of Elyria’s southern border, reaching from coast to coast. With the 700 foot height of the imposing structure and the difficult surrounding terrain of the Ash Mountains, crossing into the Elyrian Empire illegally was nearly impossible. The construction of the wall took over 2 centuries to finish, and during that time the armies of Elyria had moved farther south than they ever had to occupy northern Srig territory while the wall was being constructed. Over the years the Imperials had many skirmishes with the barbaric Srig clans, but it wasn’t until the completion of the Black Wall that they faced them in full force... The Sovereign War for Independence / 1430 AC - 1440 AC Elyria had not been the only nation to cross into Srig territory and occupy it. The nations surrounding the region had all done so as well. With their combined power, the Srig tribes had been pushed back. That was until they unified. In 1432 AC, the Srigs struck back in full force against the unsuspecting nations. Elyria had lasted a considerably longer time than the others, but the new and improved unified Srig forces eventually began to outnumber and outmaneuver the Imperial army. However, with the wall now finally finished, Empress Serena ordered her forces to pull back before the approaching Srig horde slaughtered them. The closing weeks of the war were a mess for the Elyrians. Around every corner, they were ambushed, overrun, and killed. By the end, only an army of 1200 imperial soldiers were able to make it to the wall. The Srig forces had pursued them and soon the Battle of the Black Wall began. The Imperial Schism War / 1440 AC - 1446 AC After the battle of the black wall had ended, and the Srig’s victory in their war for independence, the Empire underwent a change. For years many Elyrians had been south of the wall, fighting off the hordes of the Srig military until they were slaughtered. Only 1200 soldiers made it back from south of the wall, and even so, many of the 1200 perished during the Battle of the Black Wall. One of these 1200 soldiers who survived was a woman known only as Aevara. By now, her name had been known throughout the Empire. She was a very skilled warrior and exceptional battle commander who could even rival the Srig’s in their campaign to push the Empire out. Throughout the war, she had accomplished many tasks and was well rewarded for her service, but Aevara was not satisfied with the war’s ending. Many of her people weren’t. Aevara’s opinion was highly respected by most within the Empire, and because of this, she did the one thing nobody had ever dared to before. She defied the Imperial Throne. In her eyes, it was the weakness of Elyria’s past rulers that let their nation get pushed back by the Srigs. It was their weakness that had softened their army and destroyed their families. Weakness could not be allowed to rule. In her eyes, only the strong could survive. After openly defying the Empress, Aevara was to be brought to the nation’s capital to face execution for treason, however, this would not come to pass. The young woman had spent almost her entire life training and fighting for the Empire. Along the way, she had gotten a reputation that the citizens of the Empire respected. She was a hero. And she was about to be executed for speaking out against the weakness of their leaders. This act stirred uprisings within the Empire. All across the nation, the Great Houses began to question the actions of their Empress as well. Finally, it didn’t take long for them to rebel. Aevara was rescued on her way to Nypherra, and with the support of all the Great Houses, she toppled Serena’s rule. Aevara was crowned Empress of Elyria, and under her rule, the Empire faced a dramatic change. The old ways if the Empire were cast aside, now 1 rule reigned above all within the Empire. The strong rule and the weak serve. Elyria now became far more militaristic than ever before. Mass conscription was enacted and resource gathering was paramount. Any sign of weakness or treason was met with harsh punishment as the Empire began to rise. Despite the harsh new rules put in place, the citizens of the Empire did not consider their new leader tyrannical. Over the first few years of Aevara’s rule, Elyria had begun to recover from their defeat in the war with the Srigs. The Empire had advanced significantly, but mostly kept to itself… Slowly preparing for the day they would take their revenge. The Imperial Conquest / 1731 AC - 1751 AC During the closing years of the Medieval era, Elyria gained a new leader. The newly crowned Empress was named Vaia Redoran, a descendant of Elyria's most influential ruler, Empress Aevara. Vaia sought to improve Elyria's standing on the world stage, and as a result, the Empire began mass construction and research of steam technology. Soon Elyria had entered a new era, one booming with an industrial revolution. Not long after, it finally happened. Elyria launched its worldwide conquest on an unsuspecting continent. They started with Rishia, and after a few weeks, the country had been completely overrun by the Elyrian Imperial military. The rest of the nations on the main continent did not take kindly to this and declared a conjoined war against the Empress. For 20 years the war lasted... Millions of lives being lost as Elyria slowly, but steadily gained more and more ground. Their machines of war were unmatched by all except magic, and one by one, the countries fell into the grip of the Empress. Soon, the entire mainland was conquered, Elyria annexing everything into their empire. Elyria had officially become the largest Empire the world had ever seen, and most likely will ever see again. It was during this time that the Empire tried to invade Terusia as well. However, 5 long years of war against the island nation took its toll on the Empire, and the Elyrians eventually gave up. The world fell into darkness as the Tyrant known as Empress Vaia ruled her new subjects with an iron fist. Corruption and Famine ran rampant throughout the empire, and anyone who tried to change it was swiftly and harshly put down. The Empire’s history after the war of aggression is mainly one of decline. This is largely due to the ascension of the new Empress, Vaia's young daughter, Empress Nivani Redoren, who cares only for her own pleasure. Her time has been marked by an increase in government corruption, an economic recession, eroding public order, rampant poverty and great dissatisfaction amongst the people. As a result of the Empress' excesses, there have been numerous uprisings from both inside and outside the Empire that had to be put down by force. In addition, there have been many defections from the Imperial military, including several generals, and this has led to the birth of the Revolutionary Army, a group dedicated to the Empire’s total overthrow. The Empire now has a very diverse culture due to its large size. Its citizens range from nomadic clans to small village communities to world-wizened city dwellers. However, due to the corrupt government, there have been multiple uprisings and great civil unrest. The villages and towns suffer from heavy taxation and many have been unable to buy enough food, resulting in widespread shortages in the remote areas of the empire. This has forced many country-living citizens to move to the capital to seek money to help their village, only to sometimes find death (or worse) because of the high crime rate. The arrest, torture, and public execution of the Empress' political enemies is also not uncommon, which leads to a general atmosphere of fear. Slavery is common in the Empire but slaves are able to become free through currently unknown means. Slaves have a mark branded on them to show that they are slaves. Due to the high tax rates imposed on the villages of the empire, there have been many parents that have sold their children into slavery for money or a better life. The Fall of the Empire / 1751 AC - 1756 AC 10 years of Imperial rule had finally taken its toll. Due to consistent tyranny and government corruption, the promise of rebellion finally grew strong enough in order to challenge the Empire. Ever since the start of Elyria's rule over the mainland, a small splinter group of rebels made up of defected imperial soldiers, and citizens of the territories had gone into hiding to plan and build their rebellion. This group quickly grew in size and was later known as the Revolutionary Army. Members from all walks of life gathered under a single banner, with the purpose of overthrowing the Empire, and restoring peace to the continent. Never before had the Empire faced a force of rebels so large and organized, and by the time the Empress decided to focus entirely on them, it was too late. The early history of the Revolutionary Army is unknown, as is the power structure it follows. While it is known to have started off with very few men, it has quickly grown with large numbers of defected Imperial soldiers and dissatisfied people willing to stand up against the corrupt Empire. It is shown that the Empire didn't regard the rebels very highly as they have done very little to try to stop them as they are focusing solely on keeping order and control within the Empire's cities. This is, however, largely due to the fact that the army does not act out in the open or cause much trouble to The Empire, because they were building up their growing numbers and strength until they are strong enough to take on The Empire. With the help of the surviving mages of the Magus Covenant, the Revolutionary Army was able to create a safe home base off the western coast, using powerful magic to hide it from the Empress. Finally, the Army was strong enough to begin its open assault against the Empire. They struck many different territories simultaneously with powerful hit and run tactics. By now the Army had resources and manpower to keep up an assault for several years, hope growing stronger as more and more citizens of the Empire defected to the rebel's cause. The Empire began to quickly lose control of territory, as not only did the Army beat back the Imperial military, but also caused major uprisings and revolts in the major cities along the way. After 5 years of major conflict, the Empire was on its last legs. Severely wounded from the rebel incursion, rebel victory seemed certain. The Army had only the capital left to take, and the Empress to kill. By this point, Nivani had gone mad and decided to reveal her most powerful weapon. A celestial arms of Umbra's making. A ring that was capable of summoning and controlling the dark spawn known as Daemons. A great battle ensued in the capital, as the rebels fought off hordes of Daemons and Imperial soldiers. They had come out victorious, however, and an unknown rebel soldier was able to sever the Daemon control by cutting off the Empress' hand. The battle was won, and Elyria had finally fallen. The leaders of the Revolutionary Army had taken the Empress out before the public and executed her. Swearing that would be the last drop of blood to spilled in a very long time. Over the next few years, the land had begun to recover. Out of the ruins of Elyria's once great Empire, new nations and peoples began to appear, making the best of the aftermath. These nations still stand thousands of years after the war, and the revolutionary's of the past are regarded as some of the greatest heroes the world had ever seen. ' '